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Reviews about 4k TV, 4k monitor, 4k projector, 4k movies, 4k wallpaper and moreWed, 12 Dec 2018 02:01:38 +0000nlhourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.7.13128480232https://4kandbeyond.com/wp-content/plugins/squirrly-seo/themes/default/css/sq_feed.css4k TV deals | What are the best 4k TV deals?https://4kandbeyond.com/4k-tv-deals/
https://4kandbeyond.com/4k-tv-deals/#respondThu, 11 May 2017 11:30:20 +0000https://4kandbeyond.com/?p=519Note: I use affiliate links. I will receive a commission for products that I recommend, like with the 4k TV deals. This way I generate income to pay for (guest) writers, website development and hosting. What are the best 4k TV deals? You may have already noticed that 4k TVs are becoming popular. If you still do not know what 4k ... Read More

Note: I use affiliate links. I will receive a commission for products that I recommend, like with the 4k TV deals. This way I generate income to pay for (guest) writers, website development and hosting.

What are the best 4k TV deals?

You may have already noticed that 4k TVs are becoming popular. If you still do not know what 4k is, I will refer you to my post about 4k resolution (read it here). So you are looking for a new TV, but to buy a 4k TV is quite pricey right? Like always it depends on what your budget and requirements are. Which product details are important for you? Perhaps the inches of the TV screen, curved or not, 3D or not, LED or OLED or QLED, HDR or not, HDMI 2.0(2) and so on. Are you still following me? Well to make it a bit easier for you I already did the research for you for the best 4k TV deals. I will not solely look at the best price deals, but look at the best quality-price ratio. In order to keep things clear and simple, I made three tabs for the following categories, namely:

Best 4k TV deals in category 1 | price range $ 0 to $ 1,000

Please be aware that in category 1 you will find mostly 4k TVs with less than 65inches. This means that you have to sit up much closer to the 4k TV, to make the detail of 4k more noticeable. You want to know more about this or you ask yourself what is a 4k TV? Just read my post about it (read it here). In category one you will probably find the best 4k TV for gaming in terms of budget, because in my own experience you are much closer to the screen when gaming.

Although the LG 4k TV is a 55 inch 4k TV and the Hitachi 4k TV is a really cheap 4k TV, overall I choose the UN49MU650 4k Samsung TV as Editor’s Choice. This because it has great picture quality, it’s a 4k HDR TV and in this category the only 4k curved TV. Its curved design helps provide a more immersive experience. It also incorporates Motion Rate 120 technology to digitally enhance fast-moving images to reduce blur. This is not a 4k 3D TV, but to be honest I think 3D is the next Dodo, because most manufacturers leave it out on their newest models. If you buy this almost 50 inch 4k TV you will get a 2017 model, which is HDR proof! So this Samsung 4k TV is the best 4k tv under $ 1,000 and thereforethe best budget 4k TV overall.

LG 55UH7700

Hitachi 55R7

Sony XBR43X800D

Samsung UN49MU6500

Model Year

2016

2016

2016

2017

Inches

55

55

43

49

Display Technology

LED

LED

LED

LED

Curved

SMART TV

3D

HDR

Connectivity Technology

LAN, WiFi

LAN, WiFi

Built in WiFi

LAN, WiFi

HDMI ports

3

4

4

3

HDMI Version

2.0

1.4 & 2.0

2.0a

2.0 & 2.0a (firmware update)

Best 4k TV deals in category 2 | price range $ 1,000 to $ 2,500

Looking for a 65 inch 4k TV, in this category you fill find them. Personally I’m a fan of a LG 4k TV, but the LG 65UH9500 is a LED 4k TV and not an OLED 4k TV. So I choose the XBR65X850D Sony 4k TV as Editor’s Choice because of the options-quality-price ratio. It’s a great allround performer, has a superb motion control, the upscaling technology is very good, it delivers amazing colours and the judder control is just fine. Beside that the price of this Sony 4k TV is very competitive regarding to the Samsung 4k TV and the LG 4k TV. Therefore it’s the best buy 4k TV in this category.

Sony XBR65X850D

Sony XBR65X750D

LG 65UH9500

Samsung UN65MU8500

Model Year

2016

2016

2016

2017

Inches

65

65

65

65

Display Technology

LED

LED

LED

LED

Curved

SMART TV

3D

HDR

Connectivity Technology

LAN, WiFi

LAN, WiFi

Built in WiFi

LAN, WiFi

HDMI ports

4

4

3

4

HDMI Version

2.0a

2.0a

2.0a

2.0a

Best 4k TV deals in category 3 | price range $ 2,500 and more

In this category you will find a 75 inch 4k TV, if you look for a taller screensize. Also you will see here the Samsung QLED models against the LG OLED models. QLED is in fact an improved LED technology and is just a LCD TV in another jacket. Unfortunately Samsung QLED TV doesn’t really contain QLED technology (yet). Samsung is using the term probably for marketing reasons, because the 2017 version of QLED is closer to LCD than it’s to OLED. Personally I consider a QLED TV as a distinctly different class of television, much like the plasma TV was before. If you want to read more about QLED vs. OLED, read it here.

The OLED65C7P LG 4k TV is my Editor’s Choice, because it’s a real outperformer in this category. Although the price is perhaps a bit high, it’s still not that high as the Samsung QLED models and therefore one of the best 4k TV deals in this category. I quote David Katzmaier from CNET:

‘The LG C7 is the best-performing TV we’ve tested to date. It delivers perfect black levels, wide viewing angles, accurate color and a great bright-room picture. It’s compatible with both major HDR formats, and HDR image quality is better than last year. Its striking design features a superslim panel.’.

Do I need to say more? Well for the people that are also looking for a DirectTV 4k ready TV, this model from LG is Direct TV 4k ready!

LG OLED65B6P

Samsung QN75Q9

LG OLED65C7P

Samsung QN65Q8C

Model Year

2016

2017

2017

2017

Inches

65

75

65

65

Display Technology

OLED

QLED

OLED

QLED

Curved

SMART TV

3D

HDR

Connectivity Technology

LAN, WiFi

LAN, WiFi

LAN, WiFi

LAN, WiFi

HDMI ports

4

4

4

4

HDMI Version

2.0a

2.0a

2.0a

2.0a

I hope this blog helped you making a balanced decision. If you look for the best 4k products in the market right now, have a look at my other reviews. Also don’t forget to like me, I would appreciate that.

]]>https://4kandbeyond.com/4k-tv-deals/feed/05194k resolution TV, all you need to know abouthttps://4kandbeyond.com/4k-resolution/
https://4kandbeyond.com/4k-resolution/#commentsWed, 10 May 2017 09:30:54 +0000https://4kandbeyond.com/?p=86What is 4k resolution? Lately TV’s with 4k resolution are trending, but what does 4k means? Originally 4k is a professional production and cinema standard. It defines how 4k content is encode. Furthermore it refers to 4k resolution, to be exact to the horizontal pixel count, which is almost four thousand (4096 to be precise). The industry is using mostly the term 4k ... Read More

What is 4k resolution?

Lately TV’s with 4k resolution are trending, but what does 4k means? Originally 4k is a professional production and cinema standard. It defines how 4k content is encode. Furthermore it refers to 4k resolution, to be exact to the horizontal pixel count, which is almost four thousand (4096 to be precise).

The industry is using mostly the term 4k in context with their products, probably for marketing reasons. This is not always right because for example a 4k TV or 4k monitor has only (horizontal) 3840 pixels. For TV they also use the term UHD, what stands for Ultra High Definition. Anyway it looks like the term 4k is established now because the industry is using this term now for almost all of their products. So I will use the term 4k from now on to keep things simple, although technical it will not always be right to use it.

Image 1. Comparison HD TV with 4k TV

4k TV, what’s all the fuss about?

Well see it like this. If you do not have the correct glass strength, your sight probably get less sharper. So when you get the correct glass strength, you will see much sharper.

In fact this also happens with 4k resolution. To illustrate, let’s say you have now a common HD TV. With a 4k TV you will get four time more pixels and therefore more definition. Not to mention more detail and a much more sharper image. The only problem is that you will need a bigger TV screen and/or sit up closer to the TV, to make it all more noticeable. You don’t want to sit closer than let’s say 8 feet to the TV? Well you should buy at least an 65inch 4k TV, as you can see in image 1.

Maybe a solution would be to go for a 4k projector, though you do need a big wall in your living room. Problem is that 4k projectors are just getting commercial and are a bit pricy at the moment. If money is not a problem, just have a look at my review of 4k projectors (read it here) on the market now. If you still are looking for the best 4k TV deals, just read my review about 4k TV deals (read it here). Let’s have a look now at LED LCD, OLED and QLED.

LED LCD

The most televisions with 4k resolution are now equipped with LED LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) technology. This is the successor to LCD, which uses LED lighting instead of a backlight. This makes the TV flat and energy efficient, what is always a good point.

Beside resolution, there is another important aspect of picture quality called contrast ratio. Contrast ratio is the difference between the darkest part of the image and the brightest. It is giving the image depth, punch, and is one of the main factors in making an image seem more real. The 4k TVs with LED LCD screens, have most of the time a limited contrast ratio. So it was waiting for a new development and it arrived!

OLED

OLED is using a different technology because OLED pixels produce their own light. This is in contrary of LED LCD because it uses LED light as a backlight to illuminate their pixels. In that way the contrast on an OLED display is way higher. Does that make OLED better? Well for sure OLED is better in handling darkness and it’s lighting precision. Though LED LCD has the ability to go brighter and still maintaining colour at bright levels. One thing is for sure at this moment an OLED TV is more expensive than LCD TV. Yet prices are going down and it looks like OLED is getting the momentum. If budget is not a problem, I personally would go for an OLED 4k TV. At the end the best way is to go to a shop and see it yourself.

Wondering which TV manufacturers are using OLED? At this moment you choose between LG OLED TV, Sony OLED TV and Panasonic OLED TV. There is no Samsung OLED TV, because Samsung decided it was to difficult to make and therefore to expensive to produce. Are you looking for an OLED monitor for your computer? There are not many OLED monitors yet, but if you are looking for one, you should definitely go for the Dell 30 UltraSharp OLED Monitor | UP3017Q, as the first OLED computer monitor. Since early 2016 you can also buy an OLED laptop.

OLED vs. LED

Why is OLED getting more popular than LCD? There are a couple of reasons, like:

The picture quality of OLED is much better with faster refresh rates, better viewing angles and infinite contrast;

OLED consumes less power, because only lit pixels draw energy;

OLED can be made more flexible and transparant;

It’s possible to make OLED much thinner and lighter than LCD. Have a look at the new LG OLED77W7P to get an impression.

QLED

Quantum Dot Light Emitting Diodes abbreviated QLED is a technology, like OLED, that is not using a backlight unit. Simply put, QLED is a combination of OLED (the leds emit light itself) and quantum dot (a layer of nano-crystals for wider color range and higher brightness in LCD televisions). The benefits of QLED: lower production costs, longer-lasting televisions, and more color display. This is because no organic material is used, as in OLED. It is in fact an improved LED technology. Having said that, QLED TV in 2017 is just another LCD TV in another jacket. Unfortunately Samsung QLED TV doesn’t really contain QLED technology yet. Samsung is using the term QLED probably for marketing reasons.

QLED vs. OLED

You may ask yourself what should I choose? Well it depends on what is important for you, like for example colour volume or motion blur. Below you will see a comparision of the both on how they score on different aspects.

QLED

OLED

Winner

Price

OLED

Availability

OLED

Viewing angle

OLED

Image retention

QLED

Black level

OLED

Luminosity

Tie

Colour volume

QLED

Motion blur

OLED

Gray uniformity

OLED

As you can see for yourself, overall OLED beats QLED, but if different aspects are more important for you, you could choose for a QLED TV as well.

You may ask yourself, is there even more after all this? The answer to that question is yes! Let’s have a look at HDR (High Dynamic Range).

HDR

One of the big TV features of 2017 is probably HDR. This is a number of improvements that allows more detail in darker parts of the image, deeper blacks and brighter whites and better colour reproduction. On the whole a wider range for contrast and colour. Just bought a 4k HDR TV and asking yourself if there is already HDR content? Yes, for example on Netflix you can watch for Marco Polo in HDR. Point of attention is that you need HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface) 2.0a, otherwise the current standard does not recognize the HDR content. By the way HDMI 2.0a is the latest standard in video and audio through a single cable. The good news is that HDMI 2.0a is probably to be made available through a firmware update to most 4k TVs with HDMI 2.0 minimum. Though this is depending on manufacturers and their system designs.

4k resolution and the future

In 2014 I bought my first 4k TV with LED LCD. In those days there was not much 4k products and 4k content, so most of the time my 4k TV was upscaling the HD content. This is not what you want! Now 3 years later you see 4k already back in a lot of products. You have 4k streaming, 4k TV, 4k monitor, 4k wallpaper, movie 4k, 4k games, 4k cameras, 4k videos and so on. So if you like it or not, 4k is coming!

Next time I also want to write something about 8k resolution and how soon we will see it in new products. Let me know if you would like a blog about this subject.

I hope you have now a beter concept about 4k resolution. If you look for the best 4k products in the market right now, have a look at my reviews. Also don’t forget to like me, I would appreciate that.

]]>https://4kandbeyond.com/4k-resolution/feed/2864k projector, which one? Probably a Sony 4k projector!https://4kandbeyond.com/4k-projector/
https://4kandbeyond.com/4k-projector/#respondFri, 28 Apr 2017 20:20:29 +0000https://4kandbeyond.com/?p=248Note: I use affiliate links. I will receive a commission for products that I recommend. This way I generate income to pay for (guest) writers, website development and hosting. What is a 4k projector? A projector is an optical device that projects for example a movie onto a projection screen. The 4k is referring to the resolution of the projector, ... Read More

Note: I use affiliate links. I will receive a commission for products that I recommend. This way I generate income to pay for (guest) writers, website development and hosting.

What is a 4k projector?

A projector is an optical device that projects for example a movie onto a projection screen. The 4k is referring to the resolution of the projector, most of the time consisting 3,840 x 2,160 pixels. When you want to know more about 4k resolution, read my blog about this subject (read it here). One of the important aspects of 4k resolution is that you need a bigger (TV) screen to see the difference in detail regarding to HD. Or you have to sit very close to the screen. So if you have a big (white) wall or some space to put a projection screen, than a 4k projector should definitely be something for you. Only downfall is that the prices for 4k projectors are pretty high. Especially when you compare them to the high end of 4k TVs, which are also not that cheap yet.

Why choosing a 4k projector?

The expectation is that prices will drop soon, if more parties will release their 4k projectors. You may ask yourself, why should I already buy a 4k projector? First of all a 4k projector has a more flexibel setup than for example a 4k TV, because of the size. Let’s say you have a smaller space, you can install a 4k projector and adjust the screen size more easily. Also because of the weight they are lighter and therefore easier to move around the house. Secondly you can display a bigger size if you have a white flat wall or big projection screen, without losing image quality. Thirdly but definitely not last, it will give you an amazing cinema experience!

Regarding colour, brightness and contrast it’s a close call between a 4k projector and a 4k TV. Looking at smart features, 3D and pricing, the 4k TV is definitely a winner. Nevertheless if you are a techie, budget is not a problem and you like a cinema experience at home for yourself or to impress your friends, than you should definitely go for a 4k projector!

The best 4k projectors

When you decide to go for a 4k projector, the next step will be to choose which one. At this moment there is not much to choose about. Anyway below you will find some 4k projectors that are now on the market. I left the devices out from JVC and Epson because in the case of these models, the technology used inside them basically simulate 4k resolution. As a matter of fact even the use of this 4k upscaling technology produces nothing more than 2k resolution. You better go than for the real deal! Below you will find the best 4k projectors on the market. Not surprisingly they are all from Sony because at the moment it’s the only brand with real 4 k projectors. I will add any new interesting releases to the list below. Probably BenQ will introduce soon their real 4k projector.

Sony VPL-VW365ES

Sony VPL-VW675ES

Sony VPL-VZ1000ES

Sony VPL-VW1100ES

Reviews

Release date

October 2016

September 2016

January 2017

August 2014

Projection Technology

SXRD (3 Chip)

SXRD (3 Chip)

SXRD (3 Chip)

SXRD (3 Chip)

Resolution

Full 4K (4096 x 2160)

Full 4K (4096 x 2160)

Full 4K (4096 x 2160)

Full 4K (4096 x 2160)

High Dynamic Range (HDR)

3D ready

Brightness

1,800 lumens

1,800 lumens

2,500 lumens

2,000 lumens

Dynamic Contrast

300,000:1

350,000:1

infinity:1

1,000,000:1

Reality Creation

Picture Position (Lens-less 2:35)

Yes

Yes

Yes

Anamorphic Capability

Electronic Zoom (lens-less) or external lens

Picture Position (lens-less) or external lens

Lens shift function

Picture Position (lens-less) or external lens

Recommended Lamp Cycle

6,000 hrs

6,000 hrs

20,000 hrs

2,500 hrs

Control Interface

IR, Trigger, LAN, USB, RS-232c

IR, Trigger, LAN, USB, RS-232c

IR, Trigger, LAN, USB, RS-232c

IR, Trigger, LAN, RS-232c, 3D sync

Can I now watch the movies 4k?

Are you already imagining how those 4k movies will look like on that big screen. Well you are almost there. Almost, because there is not much 4k TV broadcasting yet. So to view that kind of 4k content you have two options.

Some remarks

The Xbox One S is, beside a 4k blu ray player, ofcourse also a gaming console. It’s ready for HDR, 4k gaming and Netflix 4k streaming. You do need for Netflix 4k a 4K Ultra HD TV with the following specifications: Smart TV, HVEC decoder and HDMI 2.0 and HDCP 2.2 compliant. When you have a HDR TV you can also watch HDR content on Netflix. For Netflix 4k content you can have a look here.

Are you looking for a 4k 3D projector? You have an easy choice, because any of the above projectors from Sony has 3D. Although it looks like 3D will end like the famous dodo. Most of the newest 4k TVs don’t have it anymore.

If searching for a 4k laser projector or 4k short throw projector you definitely should go for the editor’s choice. In search of an 4k HDR projector, you can choose any of the above, beside the Sony VPL-VW1100ES.

I hope this blog helped you making a balanced decision. If you look for the best 4k products in the market right now, have a look at my other reviews. Also don’t forget to like me, I would appreciate that.